[PW] Roosevelt quotation

[Fuller, Thomas (US - Washington D.C.)]

>From <The Undeclared War, 1940-1941> by S. Everett Gleason, William L.
Langer; Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1953, pages 465-66:

<Some time in February, 1941, Mr. Tadao Wikawa, a Japanese banker who
allegedly spoke for influential business interests, arrived in New York,
to be followed a few weeks later by Colonel Hideo Iwakuro, supposedly a
spokesman for the Japanese Army. These men had taken part in the
original discussions with Bishop Walsh and Father Drought. Working
together, the unofficial American and Japanese agents produced, early in
March, the basic agenda for further conversations, which were conveyed
promptly to Secretary Hull.

The list of "principal items" was a long one, touching almost every
aspect of Far Eastern political and economic relations, the Open Door
policy, the China Incident, the Tripartite Pact, etc. The general tenor
seemed to be that the United States and Japan, having ironed out their
difficulties and closed out the China War, should work together to set
up some kind of Monroe Doctrine for East Asia and top off their
achievement with a grand meeting of President Roosevelt and Prime
Minister Konoye at Honolulu. In a supplementary memorandum assurances
were given that Wikawa had authority from Konoye and that the Emperor,
the Privy Council, and Army and Navy leaders had agreed to a
"conditional reversal of policy." If this decision became known in
Tokyo, some of the leaders of this reversal would surely be
assassinated. On the other hand, if the move succeeded, Matsuoka could
be dismissed. Nomura himself was ignorant of the program and it was
suggested that Secretary Hull abstain carefully from drawing him into
these particular discussions.

The atmosphere of this whole negotiation and the vagueness of the topics
suggested were certainly not such as to inspire great hope. Both Mr.
Roosevelt and Secretary Hull were profoundly distrustful of all
statements originating in Tokyo. Speaking of the Japanese at this
period, the President is reported to have said: "They hate us. They come
to me and they hiss between their teeth and they say: 'Mr. President, we
are your friends. Japan wants nothing but friendship with America,' and
then they hiss through their teeth again, and I know they're lying. Oh,
they hate us, and sooner or later they'll come after us.">

The authors' footnote to the last line says:

<Quentin Reynolds: Only the Stars Are Neutral ( New York, 1942), 170.
Mr. Hull expressed similar distrust in a conversation with Lord Halifax
on March 3, 1941.>

-- Tom 

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